There are new medications that are available today that can slow dementia down a bit, so if you really feel that a person may have the disease it's very important that they are seen by a doctor who can properly diagnose them. If they aren't treated, the progression of the disease will generally be faster than it would be if they were treated, and so getting them help as early as possible can really make a difference.

When you're thinking about whether to have someone evaluated for dementia, there are symptoms to look for. People forget things, but those people who have dementia forget a lot of things, and they tend to remember events from long ago better than events that are more recent. They also may become angry, accusatory, or paranoid. It's very important to remember not to take anything that they say or do personally, and to give them the love and care that they need.

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Depression is not only a symptom of dementia, but it can cause other symptoms typical of dementia, as well. Consequently, depression is often misdiagnosed as dementia, particularly in the elderly. This misdiagnosis is tragic, because the majority of people with depression can be effectively treated. In addition to the depressed mood, loss of interest and social withdrawal we commonly think of as depression, both syndromes can produce sleep disorders, weight loss or weight gain, psychomotor retardation (an abnormal slowing down of activities and mental processes) and a diminished ability to think or concentrate. In many instances, depressed people, particularly older individuals, may appear confused and may suffer memory loss.

People with dementia score differently on neurological tests and mental-status tests than people with depression. And psychological testing or psychiatric examination can offer additional information, if needed. The most common methods used to treat depression are psychotherapy, which employs psychological methods ranging from psychoanalysis to behavioral modification, and pharmacotherapy, which uses antidepressant drugs. Treatment may involve either method or a combination of the two.
Standard psychotherapy is generally effective only in the early stages of progressive, irreversible dementia, when the patient still has certain cognitive abilities intact. But modified psychotherapy, music therapy or art therapy may be helpful in later stages. And while some antidepressants can exacerbate dementia's cognitive symptoms, others can be used to improve depressive symptoms and improve function.

Different vitamins and minerals are responsible for different bodily functions and, when deficient, different symptoms. Generally speaking, the B vitamins (including B12, folic acid, niacin and thiamin), which are responsible for the body's use of energy from foods and for normal tissue production, produce a variety of dementia symptoms when deficient. Vitamin B12, for instance, supports the growth and function of nerves and the spinal cord. Deficiency of this vitamin is linked to a deterioration in mental functioning, to neurological damage and to a number of psychological disturbances. The symptoms that parallel those of dementia include memory loss, disorientation, changes in personality or mood, and hallucinations.

A deficiency of folic acid, which is involved in the synthesis of nucleic acid, the genetic building block for all cells, can produce fatigue and loss of appetite. Niacin deficiency can produce irritability, anxiety, depression and other dementia symptoms; and a deficiency of thiamin, which is necessary for normal brain and nerve function, can result in depression, irritability, concentration difficulties, fatigue, lack of appetite and weight loss. Vitamin E deficiency can produce lethargy, apathy, inability to concentrate and a loss of balance. And deficiencies in the minerals calcium and magnesium have also been known to cause dementia symptoms. Primarily by increasing a person's intake through diet, supplements or injections. Once a deficiency has been identified and corrected, symptoms generally disappear.

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